In the Light of Burning Paris
by Kuronohime
Summary: Frollo swore that he would find the fugitive Esmeralda even if he had to burn down the city of Paris. When he finally does, Esmeralda has to make a choice. To accept the proposal made by Frollo - or burn.
1. Chapter 1

In the Light of Burning Paris  
by KuroNoHime

_Disclaimer: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) is the property of The Walt Disney Company. I make no monetary profit by writing this story._

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"Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped."

Frollo faced away from the fireplace. He looked at the guard who stood at the doorway of his chamber. Frollo's eyes were aflame with rage. "What…" His ominous voice rose like a simmering storm and the guard hasted to explain "She's no longer in the cathedral. She's… gone."

"But how, I. . . never mind. Get out, you idiot!" Frollo spat out and turned his back at the guard. The door closed behind him and the gray-haired man returned his gaze to the fire. He could still see her dancing silhouette in the flames. His fingers were wrapped around the scarf she had given him and he squeezed his hand into a fist.

"I'll find her. I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!" His threat echoed on the empty walls of his chamber. Frollo threw the scarf into the flames and stood there watching how the flames consumed the embroidered fabric.

'_She will choose me or she'll choose the flames._'

* * *

All of Paris knew Frollo was on a hunt. All the gypsies were fleeing either underground or leaving the city. There was no pebble left upended as Frollo's guards searched through the streets and buildings of Paris. If any Parisian was suspected of hiding gypsies, they were to be immediately executed on Frollo's orders. Terrified citizens fled their homes, street pavement glistened with dark blood in the moonless nights and the abandoned buildings left behind were consumed by raging flames. Chaos reigned.

Frollo was growing tired of waiting. He knew the gypsies had a lair underneath the city and he had assigned some of his best guards to investigate the sewers. That excluding Captain Phoebus, for some recent regrettable circumstances. His 'resignation' was unfortunate, but had not gone to waste. For Frollo knew that his little hunchback was helping the wounded Captain. Or rather ex-captain. Quasimodo had hid him in the bell tower and in his childlike delusion thought that Frollo was unaware of this. But he didn't intervene - for now. They would surely lead him to Esmeralda.

"Minister Frollo?"

Frollo turned away from the window that laid out a nightly view of the May Courtyard. He neatly swiped away a strand of hair that had escaped to his forehead.

"Yes, do you have a word on them?"

A guard who had addressed him earlier answered, "Yes, the warden just saw Quasimodo exiting the Notre Dame with the fugitive Phoebus. Couple of our men are on their tail."

Frollo's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Ready my horses."

* * *

Frollo, alongside his few best men, were closely following Phoebus and Quasimodo who had led them to the old graveyard. Frollo's men hid in the shadows while the two friends of the gypsy girl kindly revealed the secret entry to the Court of Miracles.

Quasimodo heaved open a stone coffin that hid a stairway to the sewers. Phoebus followed him down and Frollo signalled his men to wait. The light of Phoebus' torch was dimming as the pair descended the stairs. Truth to be told, he was quite surprised that neither the Captain nor his ward had already gotten a hunch of the presence of his men.

The minister's lips twisted into an ominous grin. '_Simpletons._'

When they could no longer hear the hunchback and his friend, Frollo gestured his men to continue the pursue.

* * *

As the pair of simpletons ran straight into the gypsy ambush in the sewers, Frollo commanded his messenger to go and fetch the backup. They were surely nearing the gypsy nest. Phoebus and Quasimodo were captured and dragged deeper into the sewer system by a pack of gypsies. Frollo followed them closely behind.

The few gypsy guards that were left to keep an eye on the entrance were no match to Frollo's men. A limp body of a gypsy man fell into the shallow water as Frollo's man drew his sword out of the corpse.

Crimson colour seeped into the soiled water and it soon dissipated as Frollo's men waded through the bloody trail.

* * *

As they finally reached the Court of Miracles, the first frontier was enforced by the backup that arrived conveniently just as the gypsies were attempting to flee. Phoebus had warned them that Frollo's men were coming, but the poor sod had no idea how close they truly were.

Frollo watched with amusement the little play that unfolded before his eyes. The gypsies were dashing in every direction, gathering their belongings, leaving some behind. The smallest children were crying in the laps of their mothers. Rats, the lot of them. Fleeing the sinking ship, but too late.

Frollo turned his gaze to the woman who stood in the middle of the plaza. Esmeralda. His blood fumed with anticipation. Soon. Soon, the gypsy would be his. And only his.

As he saw Esmeralda enfold her saviour, the Captain, with gratefulness, Frollo felt a wave of ridicule wash over him. That fool of a man would not live to feel the arms of Esmeralda around him ever again.

As Phoebus and Esmeralda let go of each other, Phoebus turned his eyes to Quasimodo.

"Don't thank me, thank Quasimodo. Without his help, I would have never found my way here."

"Nor would I"

Frollo's words echoed over the commotion and hundreds of eyes turned to look at him. His men immediately barged behind him to the plaza. All hell broke loose and now the men and women were screaming in panic. The shrill voices of the women pierced his ears. One guard struck silent a woman who was screaming hysterically. She fell on the ground, cradling her face in pain.

Frollo's men had surrounded the whole plaza. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

He began slowly walking towards Phoebus, Quasimodo and Esmeralda that were beleaguered by his guards. He spoke calmly over the racket and chaos.

"After twenty years of searching," Frollo lifted up his arm in grand gesture, "the Court of Miracles is mine at last." He threw a victorious gaze at Esmeralda and walked up to his misshaped ward. Never letting his eyes leave Esmeralda.

"Dear Quasimodo," he ran his fingers through his hair, "I always knew you would some day be of use to me." He said with gentleness in his voice and walked pass Quasimodo to Esmeralda.

"What are you talking about?" Esmeralda hissed.

"Why, he led me right to you… My dear." Frollo answered and caressed her cheek with his finger. Her skin was so smooth.

"You're a liar." Esmeralda said, her voice full of hatred.

Frollo removed his finger from her face. She would tame.

He finally tore his eyes off her and turned his face to the fugitive Captain who stood next to Esmeralda.

"And look what else I've caught in my net." Frollo walked straight up to Phoebus. He wanted to get in his face. "Captain Phoebus, back from the dead. Another… miracle, no doubt."

Phoebus was clearly affected by the taunting tone of Frollo's voice and he tried to barge at him, but the guards pulled him back by the chains he was bind to. Frollo did not flinch. That stupid underling would be taken care of. He quickly glanced at Esmeralda and back at Phoebus. An image of the Captain holding the gypsy woman flashed before his eyes. "I shall remedy that." He growled and walked back to the center of the plaza.

He looked around him and the hapless rats in their chains, some bruised, and some had tears flowing down their terrified faces.

"There'll be a little bonfire in the square tomorrow and you're all invited to attend." Frollo announced. He waved his hand apathetically to the guards "Lock them up."

"No!" Quasimodo cried and sank to his knees. He grabbed the hem of Frollo's cloak and begged, "Please, master."

Frollo wordlessly glared at the hunchback. As Quasimodo saw his cold and feral eyes that held no mercy, he let the cloak slip from his grasp. "No, no…" He whispered in sobs.

"Take him back to the bell tower. And make sure he stays there."

Two of the guards grabbed Quasimodo by his shoulders and dragged him away. Frollo did not spare even a glance at his ward's direction. He only had eyes for Esmeralda now. The girl was desperately fighting back the guards that tried to hold her still.

Frollo gestured a guard to him. "The woman, Esmeralda. Take her to the _Conciergerie_. I want to question her - personally."

He watched as the guard walked up to the other guards that were trying to cease Esmeralda's writhing. The two guards halted for a moment and then nodded. They began walking her to a different direction than the other prisoners.

* * *

Some time later, Esmeralda found herself tight to a wooden chair in a small, stale room. They were inside the premises of the palace of justice. The room's interior décor, or the lack thereof, was ascetic and simple. The only furniture was a table and the chair she was tight to. Light was dim, only a few candles on the drawing desk cast shadows on the stone walls.

She was left there alone with only a one guard. No one had explained to her where she had been taken to, but the room infiltrated with the fragrance of Claude Frollo. It made her crawl under her skin.

She tried to yank her wrists free, but she was tight down securely. The only thing she managed to do was to get abrasions on her skin. The guard gave her a sideway glance, but said nothing. Esmeralda could feel her entire body ache; bruises were already forming on her arms and legs. She kept struggling for a while, but eventually gave up. Sweat trickled down her neck. They would have to free her sooner or later, so she would wait for now.

After a long silence that seemed to continue for hours, she could hear footsteps from the hallway outside. The steps drew closer and suddenly ceased. The guard turned his back to Esmeralda and walked to the door. It flung open and a tall, pale man clad in a dark robe walked in. His dark, sinister eyes sought out Esmeralda's and halted.

"You are dismissed." Frollo stated simply, his gaze never lifting from her features. The guard nodded in silent understanding and left the room. When the door closed, Frollo immediately stepped closer to Esmeralda. He didn't say anything, merely stared at her with that ominous gleam in his feverish eyes. He did not smile, but he seemed elated and victorious. Like he had finally obtained something that had been long yearned.

* * *

**A/N**: I just looooooooooove Hugo's version of Frollo. He was actually a good and honest man at first. Then he went insane because his lust for Esmeralda who in turn was in love with Phoebus. But Phoebus in the book wasn't the knight in shining armour, but more of a lecherous bastard that merely took advantage of Esmeralda. This story was inspired by the original concept of Frollo.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Frollo walked back and forth in circles around her. He was much like a predator that quite didn't know what to do with his catch. As much as he had hoped to finally get her in his hands, he didn't truly expect it to happen. Ah, the prospects of these current events tempted his mind.

Esmeralda watched as Frollo continued to pace around her. It was unnerving as she had no idea what was to come of her. What kind of vicious plans ran through that thick head of his?

"Are you going to interrogate me now?" Esmeralda asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Frollo halted and quickly spun his head to her direction. He smiled. "Why no, child. There's no need for such. I already captured the lot of you, _rats_."

The gypsy woman felt her face fluster with anger. "Then what is it that you want of me!"

The smile on the man's lips waned. "I…" He began. He looked up to the ceiling, as if he was silently asking higher powers to grace him with an answer. But the gods kept their silence. The fire in his eyes dimmed and his head sagged down. "I do not know, yet."

The calm that had fallen between them was broken as Frollo resumed his pacing. The old wooden floor squeaked under his feet upon his every step. Esmeralda could do nothing but grit her teeth. What an insufferable man!

"Did you honestly bring me here to watch you exercise your power walk?"

"Keep quiet, woman!" Frollo hissed.

"I'd rather that you decapitate me now than make me put up with the stench of this hell hole any longer." She challenged him.

As Frollo was a man of poor temper, he quickly overcame the distance between them and grabbed Esmeralda by her jaw.

"I will not have you mock the palace of justice, gypsy. You are nothing and can easily be disregarded if you do not hold your tongue."

She tried to pull herself away. For the way his eyes had lit up frightened her.

Frollo continued to speak in a low and heated voice, "I am trying to save your immortal soul. You should be grateful for my efforts." His grip on her jaw loosened and he gently glided his palm over her cheek. "You wish to be saved, do you not?"

Esmeralda shook her face to rid his hand from her skin. "Not by you, Frollo."

Her fiery eyes defied his and her gaze told him that if there was a Hell, she would rather burn in the eternal flame than be broken by him. The minister could not hold in the wave of anger that washed over him. She would not have his grace. She would not have him.

Frollo violently grabbed a hold of her blouse and tore it open, revealing her chest. Esmeralda let out a shocked cry. "No!" She yelled and turned her head away. She dared not to look him in his eyes from her own shame.

"You… have succumbed… yourself to Lucifer." His laboured breath uttered as he continued to tear the clothes from her body. "You are filthy." He panted as he pulled down her skirt and laid his eyes on her untouched naked body.

"Do you not see," we whispered and dropped on his knees, "I am the only one who can redeem your soul from slipping into Hell."

He wrapped his arms around her uncovered body that was still tied to the chair. He pressed his face to her chest and allowed himself to breath in her scent.

Frollo had lost his mind, Esmeralda franticly thought. There was no sense in what he was saying. He was muttering unconscious prayers while he kept defiling her.

She gathered herself and defiantly said to him, "God has nothing to do with what you do to me this night."

Frollo turned his head upwards and looked with genuine confusion into her emerald jewels. She knew his desire even when he himself did not. And for this night, she would be his. There would be no-one to save her from his madness. No knight, no captain on a white horse would come and rescue her.

Frollo kissed her chest and sought out the dark nipple. He suckled on it and grabbed the unattended breast hard into his grasp.

Esmeralda did not make a sound. The slimy, warm sensation of his mouth on her bosom made her feel sick. As his fingers pinched the hard nub on her breast, she shut her eyes close and tried to free her mind from the reality. She didn't want to be there in that room as Frollo's hands glided down to her stomach and to her thigh.

Frollo latched his mouth eagerly on her dark skin. His hands roamed her body and the perceptions of touch conveyed by his fingertips set his own body aflame.

He convinced himself that his pleasure could not be a sin when it was a punishment for the wicked. Providence had led her to him. And what was to please him was to please the Lord.

The man's hands awkwardly studied the curves and contours of her full body. Esmeralda shivered with disgust. Suddenly Frollo grabbed a hold of her hair and yanked her head closer. Then he enveloped her lips in a heated kiss. His tongue sought entrance to her mouth and hungrily explored her tongue and teeth.

Just when Esmeralda thought she couldn't breathe anymore, Frollo angrily tore his lips away and stared at her, petrified.

"You… witch." He hissed and kicked back her chair.

It felt like the bottom of her stomach fell as the chair slowly began to capsize. There was nothing to hold on to. The fall was disrupted by an abrupt hit to the back of her head. She had fallen back first to the floor and her head was the first thing to come in contact with the floor. Her teeth painfully clacked together whilst her bottom lip was between them. Blood bursted into her mouth and the pain in the back of her head made her feel dizzy and nauseous.

She barely registered how the chair shattered beneath her and splinters forced their way beneath her skin. Small gashes covered her back and the wooden floor beneath her was darkened with blood.

Frollo stood above her and eyed her naked body. How he hated and yearned that pristine umber canvas.

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A/N:

I decided that this took such a dark turn that I will be excluding this part of the story from this version. Those of appropriate age may read the full version on adultfanfiction. My nick there is also KuroNohime

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A naked and used body lay in the corner of the room as a servant arrived to inform Frollo about supper being prepared for him. The servant looked at the pool of blood the gipsy's body was in and quickly averted his eyes.

Frollo straightened out his robes. "Wash her up for morning." He walked away, but halted at the door, not tuning to look back, "Burn those clothes and ready her for the stake."

Frollo did not wait to have a reply, but disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.

The servant shyly peered at the woman. He felt pity for the abused creature. He moved closer to gather her shredded clothes. The sun would rise soon.

* * *

Years later, it was nightfall and Phoebus gently stroked the hair of Zephyr. He whispered gentle and loving words to the little child that sniffled his nose in the cradle. A warm, heartbreaking smile spread over Phoebus' handsome features.

Esmeralda stood in the opening of the door, studying those two. As she watched how happily her husband attended their son, she felt her own happiness laden with guilt.

**FIN**


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